Ballroom Surprises
by EchoResonance
Summary: The anual Pro-Bending Ball is here, and Avatar Korra is dressed to impress. This is about what happens when she catches the eye of one particular individual. The aftermath of her performance may result in an...interesting development.
1. Dance a Little Dance

The ball was upon them. It was a huge gala thrown in one of the town's ballrooms, in honor of the Pro-benders. All of the teams were invited, as well as those who had participated at one point but no longer did. Actually, it was open to the entirety of Republic City. Korra and Asami had been away from the Air Temple all day. Asami was taking Korra to every dress shop and every cosmetic store in town to find something suitable for the Avatar, and Korra, being completely clueless as to the nature of these kind of parties, let Asami dress her up in outfit after outfit.

Bolin and Mako had suits that Air Master Tenzin had given them, against all of their modest objections. He had said that they had to look their best, and that it was no trouble at all to help in that aspect. Right now the brothers were waiting impatiently outside of the temple. The girls had gotten back almost two hours ago, but whatever Asami was doing with Korra was taking a long while.

"I'm about to just barge in there and tell them to get their butts in gear," Mako grumbled, picking self-consciously at his new suit. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable. He just wasn't used to wearing such refined clothes.

"It isn't Korra's fault your girlfriend's been wanting to give her a makeover," said Bolin. "You know Asami has been dying to see Korra all dolled up for a change. She won't be able to stop laughing all night, how much you wanna bet?"

"What're you placing bets on?" came a voice from the front door.

The guys turned to look at the person descending the stairs. Then they found that once they looked, they couldn't tear their eyes off of her. Surely, the girl walking toward them, more like an apparition than a human, couldn't be _Korra_. It was just not physically possible that their best friend, who walked around in baggy pants with her hair pulled back in casual wolf tails and no makeup, could be the girl standing right in front of them.

She wore a long, silken black gown that didn't fall down her figure so much as flow. And flow it did, like a river, down her slender stature. It shimmered in the light of the setting sun, looking iridescent with rich violet and deep blue highlights. Extra swaths of material covered her chest, making it look fuller. A slit in the side showed enticing glimpses of her shapely legs all the way to just above her knee. The dress had a high neck, like the tops she normally wore, and was sleeveless, leaving her muscular arms noticeably bare.

She wore knee-high black boots that hugged her calves, and had just a little bit of a heel, so that she could look the boys in the eyes. And holy Agni, she was wearing _makeup_! Asami had brushed a dark bronzer over her cheekbones, making them more pronounced, and had put a sheer silver powder over her eyelids. Black eyeliner—tastefully done, no raccoon eyes—made her eyes appear larger and brighter, winging out just a bit from the corner for a more dramatic look. She was even wearing mascara, making her lashes longer and fuller, and lipstick. She looked like a completely different person.

Her hair was also different. Asami probably had a tough time with convincing the Avatar to let go of her signature style, especially with what she had traded it for. A Dutch braid ran along either side of her head, catching every bit of hair and showing off the texture of the braid. In the back, the two braids slowly blended into each other to make a single Dutch braid. With her lack of any recent haircut, the braid hung down almost to the small of her back.

She looked radiant.

"Um, guys?" Korra prompted, plucking self-consciously at her dress, which was so unlike anything she had ever worn before. The only other dress she had ever been seen in was a traditional water tribe gown, at the party Tarrlok had thrown for her in order to trick her into joining his taskforce. And _that_ one had been made of thick, dyed cotton that was certainly not made to stand out.

"Don't worry, Korra, you look great," said Asami, hurrying down the steps to join the other three. "They're just drooling over my fantastic masterpiece."

Asami herself was wearing a dress no one else had seen on her, except Korra—she'd bought it while they were out trying to give Korra a whole new look. The dress was a dark green, in contrast to the scarlet ensembles that Asami usually wore, although it was still much the same style. Her boots were familiar, too, as was the rest of her. It wasn't something special to see Asami dressed up.

Korra allowed herself a smile, and the group walked in semi-comfortable silence to the Satomobile that Korra owned but couldn't for the life of her drive. The silence was semi-comfortable because, while Bolin and Mako weren't being perverts, they had a hard time keeping their eyes off of Korra. Mako did his best to be discreet, because after all, he was with Asami, but his girlfriend didn't begrudge him the occasional glance thrown the Avatar's way. After all, while she didn't like it, Asami knew that Mako had a thing for Korra, and vice versa. Plus, she'd done a spectacular job of giving Korra a total makeover.

Bolin almost tripped over himself to help Korra into the backseat of the Satomobile, but Asami insisted that she ride shotgun. It was hard to climb over the side of the car wearing a long gown; impossible, if one wanted to appear dignified. So that was how they drove to the party: Asami and Korra up front, and Bolin and Mako in the back. They didn't talk much on the way there, but the silence grew more comfortable as the guys slowly got over their shock at seeing Korra dressed like…well, like a _girl_.

When they reached the plaza where the party was being held—getting across the water had been a trick, but having a Waterbender in the group helped—Asami parallel-parked the car like a champ, into a space no one else thought could possibly have accommodated the Satomobile, and they all climbed out.

"Well, I gotta go," said Bolin, looking to the right of the entrance to the ballroom. "I think I see my soon-to-be date."

The group laughed as Bolin took off in the direction of an attractive, solo girl with long red hair.

"Bolin and his hormones," sighed his older brother. Mako offered his arm to Asami; she took it, her slender hand wrapping around his forearm.

Korra felt only the barest hint of jealousy anymore as she saw the two of them. The two were happy together, and that was all that mattered. Sometimes, she would still catch Mako looking at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention, but she ignored it. Mako was her friend. Her best friend. But she already understood that anything more couldn't work between them. Plus, she also really liked Asami, even if she was a bit of a prissy rich girl.

Still, Korra did feel just the slightest bit neglected as she saw both of her good friends entering the building with a girl on their arm. She didn't have a date. She didn't want one. But there was still that little twinge in her stomach when she thought of being alone when everyone else had someone to go with. There had been no guys she had wanted to ask anyway.

"Korra? You coming?" Mako said, frowning.

Korra started, and followed the two into the crowded room.

Almost immediately, Asami managed to steer Mako out onto the dance floor, much to Korra's delight. Mako blinked, as if unsure how he had gotten out there, and then he was being directed by the lovely Miss Sato. Korra tried exceptionally hard not to laugh at the look of complete and total confusion on Mako's face as he tried to copy Asami's movements. She failed miserably, though.

She shook her head, still grinning, and started moving through the crowd, greeting people as they came up to her. Her effortless charm shone through, with the help of her new ensemble, and caught the attention of several guys, who were quickly beginning to crowd around her. Korra was laughing as she excused herself, trying to lose her admirers. It was a bit awkward, trying to have a conversation, when people's eyes were more fixed on the form her dress fit so well rather than on her eyes.

Her eyes flicked over the crowd on the dance floor, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing at what she saw. Bolin, with the same redhead he had greeted at the front doors, was trying very hard to dance. _Trying_ being the operative word. It appeared that his partner was patient, though, because she didn't storm off even though Korra was pretty sure that Bolin had already stepped on her toes at least twice.

"What's so funny, Uh-vatar?" said a smooth, quiet voice right behind her.

Korra whipped around, stumbling in her heels. Only a cool hand on her elbow kept her from tumbling to the floor. Flushing slightly, she straightened her gown and looked up, into a pair of silver eyes that was missing their usual lecherous spark. He raised an eyebrow.

"Tahno!" Korra exclaimed, gently trying to wrest away from his grip. He held tightly to her, though. Oddly, she didn't find his touch unnerving. Maybe because he just didn't seem as…intimidating, as he usually did.

"Hey, Korra," he greeted, giving a half smile that lacked its usual arrogance. "Wanna tell me what you're laughing at?"

Korra shrugged as much as Tahno's hand would allow, then pointed out at the dance floor, where The redhead was doing her best to guide Bolin through the steps of the waltz.

"Watching Bolin try to dance," she answered, lips twitching.

Tahno followed her gesture, and his own lips twitched up in a stronger smile.

"That," he said, amused, "Is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Although, Fire Boy is pretty close. Actually, might be a tie."

His smile quickly faded, though. Korra gave him a closer look, eyes narrowed. He still had those bags under his eyes, although they weren't quite as pronounced as they had been shortly following his run-in with Amon. She'd returned his bending when Aang had given her own back, but it had been a year since then, and apparently, that year had not returned his playboy status. He hadn't rejoined the Wolfbats, who had almost immediately replaced him with another Waterbender. He hadn't put as much effort into his appearance as he once did, although he clearly still kept himself groomed.

"Tahno, how are you?" Korra asked softly.

He glanced down at her, as though surprised by her question. More likely, he was surprised by the sincere concern in her voice. Whatever it was that disarmed him, something kept him from snapping back a sardonic retort. His hand slid down her arm to her slim wrist.

"I've…I've been better," he sighed. His silver gaze flicked back out toward the center of the room, toward where Mako was finally starting to get the hang of the dance Asami was trying to teach him. He looked back at Korra, who was still appraising him concernedly. "What about you, Uh-vatar? Still got Fire Boy wagging his tail?"

Korra snorted.

"Over it. We're just friends."

Tahno's eyebrows slid so far up his forehead that they nearly disappeared in his shaggy hair.

"I don't think that's how he feels," he chuckled, jerking his head back toward the dancing couple. "Keep it subtle," he added.

Discreetly, Korra's aquamarine eyes darted in the direction of the dancing couple. Mako had pulled Asami closer, but it seemed like he only did that so that she couldn't see that his gaze was now fixed on Korra. And he didn't look all that happy that she was chatting it up with ex-Wolfbat Tahno, their old rival. In fact, his amber eyes were harsh with anger.

Korra looked back at Tahno, who was grinning smugly.

"Don't think he's very over it, now," he teased.

The young Avatar rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. She shook her head, and was about to pull away from his hand and walk around to mingle, when he tightened his grip and pulled her closer.

"Do you want to dance?"

The words were whispered, but Korra heard them just fine. She felt a slow heat creeping up her neck at their proximity, but she didn't pull away. She did look down at her feet though.

"I can't…I don't dance," she mumbled.

Tahno looked at her in disbelief. His hand crept up to her chin, tilting her face back so that he could look the Avatar in the eyes. She looked embarrassed, an emotion he did not often get to enjoy on her face.

"You're a Waterbender, aren't you?" Tahno chuckled, pulling her out into the press of bodies just as the music changed to something more upbeat and wild. "If you can Waterbend, you can dance. Just follow my lead."

"Tahno!" she protested, but he already had her in the center of the floor.

Tahno pulled her close against his chest, whispering into her ear.

"No time like the present to learn, Uh-vatar."

Then he stepped back, and they linked their wrists. He led her in a slow circle, almost like they were two enemies circling each other, waiting for an opening. If Katara had been there, she would have recognized an improvised dance of similar style to the one she and Avatar Aang had pulled off years ago, when they had been pretending to be Fire Nation. However, nobody in that room knew that the dance before them had happened once in the past, between the previous Avatar and his wife.

The synchronized movements of the two Waterbenders mimicked parts of the most basic Waterbending forms, but while they may have seemed boring in practice, the embellished actions quickly drew every eye to the pair of dancers. Korra mirrored what Tahno did at first, but she quickly recognized the flowing shifts in stance as Waterbending forms, and soon was able to predict what he did easily, and threw in moves that were not identical, but still flowed with the cadence of the dance. The pair of them had captured the attention of the entire room. Other dancers backed away to give them space as they began to branch out their dance techniques. They spun and dipped and twisted, moving with a perfect harmonization that belied their initial animosity. One would never have guessed that the pair dominating the dance floor had once been unable to do anything but argue with each other.

That slit in the side of Korra's dress proved beneficial, allowing for all the movement she needed without having to tear the fabric. Her long, lean legs flashed as she moved, a fact that didn't escape a single red-blooded male in the vicinity. It had a particularly hard effect on a Firebender a little ways away, who was standing resolutely behind his date, with his arms tight around her waist, so that she could not see the avid way he watched as Korra danced.

Anybody that had witnessed her early Airbending training would recognize the graceful, spiral movements she had learned from trying to maneuver through a maze of spinning gates.

Tahno was no lumbering Platypus-bear either. He was light on his toes—unsurprising, as he _had_ been an excellent Pro-bender, cheating aside—but he moved with a willowy grace that, honestly, came naturally to most Waterbenders. It was the connection to the ocean, the constant flow, the ever-changing tides. That link made them just as free, just as unpredictable, and just as changing. It was a trait that all had noticed in Korra, but few had ever actually observed in Tahno. Until then.

The ex-Wolfbat was displaying an entirely different side to his self, a side no one really knew he had. He was every bit as graceful as Korra, every bit as part of the nature of water that she was. It was startling to realize, for all the time he had spent projecting a bad-boy, smug appearance. He always had a loping grace about him, but this…This was different. He moved the way a self-respecting Waterbender was expected to move.

It didn't escape the dancers' notice, either, that they were moving in perfect harmony. Korra was startled to find herself able to move so freely with a man she once considered a petty enemy. Tahno was likewise rather astounded, although pleasantly so. They found themselves enjoying the dance, and as the music neared its end, and the tempo increased, they picked up their rhythm, moving with an almost feverish intensity. As the last notes were played, Tahno managed to catch Korra's hand. He spun her out, and pulled her back, right up against his chest, just as the music ended.

Applause and cheers erupted through the hall. It was only then that they realized they had an extremely large audience. Korra blushed darkly, ducking her head and attempting to scurry away, but Tahno held her where she was, with his arms around her waist. His pale gaze captured her cerulean one, and he smirked smugly.

"See? It's easy," he grinned. Warmly. The gesture surprised both of them.

"Yeah," Korra answered, smiling shyly in return. "I guess it is."

She was very close to him, their chests just brushing. This close, she could make out flecks of darker gray in his silver eyes. His fair skin seemed to glow against the dark navy blue tunic he wore, and the matching trousers. He wasn't wearing eyeliner, which Korra thought was already a huge improvement.

"Music's stopped," she commented.

Still he didn't let her go, and she wasn't sure, but she thought he might be slowly starting to lean in. What was he doing? She was curious to find out, but the thought had barely entered her mind when she was tugged away from him by Asami and Mako. Asami looked like she was about to burst with excitement. Mako looked both awed and irritated, although Korra had no guess as to why.

"Korra! That was amazing!" Asami exclaimed, hugging her tightly before turning to Tahno. "And _you_. That was impressive! How did you get her out there?"

Tahno ran a hand through his hair airily.

"Didn't give her a chance to say no," he chuckled.

Mako scowled, and Tahno's grin broadened.

"Well, Mako and I were just about to find you and Bolin and go. Mako's already almost asleep on his feet."

Tahno and Korra both raised an eyebrow at Mako, who did not look very tired at all.

"Really?" Korra said, voicing her skepticism.

Asami shrugged.

"You guys can go ahead and go," Korra shrugged. "I'll meet you all back at the Air Temple. I'm…I'm actually having fun."

Asami smiled.

"You sure? I don't mind driving back out to pick you up."

"No, it's fine," Korra smiled. "Naga followed us here. I'll take her back."

"If you're sure," said Asami, and she turned to Mako. "Well, let's find your brother then. I'll bet his date would be happy to hand him over, before she needs to get her toes amputated."

Mako tried for a smile, but it looked a bit forced to Korra. Nonetheless, he followed Asami into the crowd, only glancing over his shoulder once to send a lazered glare at Tahno. The Waterbender just grinned and waved, pulling the Avatar close to his side by her waist. When the couple had disappeared, Korra attempted to pull away, but Tahno didn't let her.

"Tahno, Mako's gone. You can quit the game now."

He looked down at her, eyes flashing with honest surprise.

"Who said I'm playing a game, little Avatar?" he asked, leaning down.

That was the very first time he had pronounced her title properly, at least to her face. She felt the blush in her cheeks grow warmer, and was thankful that her skin was dark enough to hide what would have been extremely bright color otherwise. His breath ghosted across her lips.

"Well, it seemed like you were just trying to jerk Mako's chain," she answered. Was her voice a little shaky?

"So I was," he chuckled. He tugged her closer to him, until their chests were pressed together. "Just then. He had nothing to do with our dance, though. I can honestly say I did that for _my_ enjoyment."

He was inches away, and the proximity sent shivers down Korra's spine.

"Korra, I'm going to kiss you right now."

He pulled her flush against him. When he closed the remaining distance between them, his lips covering hers in a chaste kiss, she did nothing to stop him. In fact, she returned the gesture, leaning up into it. He closed his eyes, his hands seeking hers. She let him twine their fingers together, and allowed her own eyes to drift close.

His lips were cool and soft against her own. He was surprisingly gentle as he kissed her, slanting his mouth across hers and moving it slowly, an action that belied his usual forceful attitude. She followed his movements, startled to hear a low sound in the back of his throat, almost like a moan. He pulled away slightly, but only, it seemed, so that he could see as he propelled her back toward a wall, where they would be out of the way. Korra felt the solid surface against her back, and then Tahno was kissing her again, this time with more hunger.

Something started beneath her skin, a kind of electric current. It was as though instead of blood, what rushed through her veins was the sea. It was powerful, alluring, and completely insatiable. Judging by the louder groan that came from Tahno, he was feeling something similar. His lips drew at hers with a passion she would not have expected from him, least of all with her. The way he kissed her, it was he was a drowning man, and she was the only thing that could save him.

He parted his lips against hers, tugging gently but insistently at her bottom lip with his teeth. She did as he prompted, opening her mouth the way he had. But she wasn't fully prepared for his invading tongue. It traced the line of her lips, then slid past to twine with her own. She let out a shocked gasp at the feel of his velvet roughness stroking the inner walls of her mouth, but curiously, she found it pleasant. When he tried to draw her back into his mouth, she obliged readily, wanting that feeling to continue.

She felt as though something was unfurling inside her, something cool and at the same time hot, something wild and untamed and totally, absolutely free. It was like she was becoming the ocean, becoming the very thing that embodied the Waterbenders. She _was_ the tide, pushing and pulling, pushing and pulling, calling—no, _singing_—out to others like her, beckoning them closer. The ocean was inside her, roaring and boiling as she kissed Tahno.

Tahno felt something extremely similar. He was feeling that elusive, beautiful siren call. He felt it from the moon, felt it in the waves when he walked on the beach. He heard the call of the water in the storms that passed overhead, in the rivers that all flowed toward the sea. The moon was his mistress, he her puppet. Everything he had ever felt, every powerful emotion, it was all because of his connection with the moon and the sea. And suddenly, it was like Korra was the moon, with the power to control him as easily as Yue controlled the tides. Suddenly, Korra was the sea, the endless push and pull.

As he drew her tongue into his mouth, he allowed himself to admit what he hadn't dared whisper since he first met the Avatar. He was drawn to her, as a moth to flame, and even though the moths never came out on the better side of the deal, maybe some part of them knew. Maybe they knew that, even if the beauty that drew them would destroy them, it was worth the chance to experience what it would feel like to bask in the glow of something other.

Finally, he pulled away from her mouth to feather kisses along her jaw, and down her neck. He nibbled tantalizingly at a spot just below her ear, and she shuddered and sighed contentedly.

"I don't think…" Tahno said, startled to find his voice thick and rough. "That you realize what you're doing to me, Uh-vatar."

"And what exactly am I doing to you, Pretty Boy?" she asked, her own voice throaty.

"I'm not sure I know," he growled. "But I _do_ know that you're a dangerous woman, and you have a hold over me."

He leaned back and met her eyes with his. The normally clear, sharp, blue topaz color was slightly hazy, and he wondered if his eyes looked the same. He had never felt anything like that with another woman. There had been many, yes, _many_ that he had wanted, but none had left him in such a heated state. This was entirely new to him, and while he detested change, he found that he might be able to make an exception this one time.

"Is that polar bear-dog of yours really waiting for you?" Tahno whispered, his lips brushing the delicate shell of her ear.

"She's probably somewhere close," Korra answered. "I didn't watch her follow us, but she always does."

Tahno laughed, and stood back from Korra, keeping one of her hands in his. His large, pale hand engulfed her small, dark one almost entirely. He had never realized it before, because the girl's attitude was so huge, but her physical body was actually…very small. The top of her head barely came to his chin, and she was slim despite the corded muscles gained from a life spent training as the Avatar.

"You know, Uh-vatar," he said slowly, tugging her away from the wall. "You're a beautiful woman."

She blushed and looked away. Korra rarely received complements like that. Most of the praise directed at her was about her bending, her fighting, and while it made her feel exceptionally proud of herself, being complimented on her appearance was a nice rarity. Sometimes she wondered about herself, when next to Asami, whether she really had anything to measure up to people's expectations of beauty. However, these moments of insecurity were few and far in between.

"Do you want to grab some lunch tomorrow?" Tahno asked her, leading her toward the entrance to the hall. She followed closely, her hand still in his.

"Sure," she answered easily. "I've got nothing else to do."

He smirked at her easy answer, and led her out of the doors and down the steps, to the street outside. The air was surprisingly cold, and Korra felt goosebumps erupt down her arms. She rubbed her hands over them, trying to be discreet, but Tahno noticed the movement. His jacket came off, and he wrapped it around her bare shoulders. She held the edges together, taken aback by the kind gesture.

"What?" he asked, in response to the narrow gaze she cast over him.

"Just trying to decide whether or not you're actually Tahno or some doppelganger that I should Firebend right now."

Tahno laughed and tugged her closer.

"Believe it or not, Korra, I can be a gentleman. I just usually choose not to."

She smiled, but before Tahno could say anything else, a hulking white shape bounded up to the pair and nearly bowled Tahno over to get to the Avatar. The man's immediate instinct was to scramble backwards, away from the polar bear-dog. The creatures were notorious for their violent tendencies. No human had ever been known to tame one, let alone _ride_ one. But Korra called Naga her best friend, and Naga clearly felt the same.

"Hey girl," Korra laughed, scratching the creature behind the ears.

"You should probably get going, Uh-vatar," said Tahno. "You're friends'll be worried."

She rolled her eyes, but made to climb onto Naga's saddle. The problem was, she had never ridden Naga in a dress, and she couldn't quite get up. Laughing again, loudly, Tahno helped Korra to mount the polar bear-dog, and showed her how to ride side-saddle, a skill she had never thought she would need.

"Thanks Pretty Boy," she said with a smile. "For…everything. I had fun tonight."

Tahno grinned back, eyes flashing with some of their old spark.

"Back at you, Uh-vatar. See you tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"Where should I meet you?"

"I'll pick you up."

"Are you sure? The group can be…a bit…overwhelming."

Tahno laughed and waved her on.

"See you at one, Korra. Good night."

Grin widening, Korra waved over her shoulder as Naga took off, running down the street until they were both out of sight.

Tahno didn't think he had smiled so much since before that night with Amon. Not even when Korra had restored his bending, because even then, nothing changed back to the way it had been. He was still an outcast among the Wolfbats. Girls had only been into him for the fame and fortune. Stripped of that, he had no friends.

Yet, that night, Korra had made him feel like he had at least one.


	2. Tempers Running High

"When did you finally get back?" asked Mako when Korra came into the dining room. Was it her imagination, or was his tone a bit… sour?

"Around midnight, I think. Maybe one." She shrugged and sat down on the pouf beside Bolin, immediately grabbing a large breakfast roll.

"Have fun with Tahno?" he asked. He spat the other man's name like it left a bad taste in his mouth. Bolin glanced sideways at her, but wisely said nothing.

Korra frowned. A little animosity she could understand. After all, Tahno and his team _had_ been their rivals during the Pro-bending season, and the Wolfbats had _not_ played fair. They had paid off the judges every match so that their cheating would pass. But the season was over, and that team hadn't done anything to them since. Wasn't it about time to just forgive and forget?

"Yes, actually, and I don't understand the problem," she said, her lower lip jutting out the way it sometimes did when she was being stubborn. "He's really not so bad outside the arena. Especially since he's not a Wolf-bat anymore."

"I'm with Korra," said Asami, who sat closely beside Mako. "Tahno really seems like an okay guy. I think the other two on his team were just bad influences."

Mako snorted.

"Whatever. The guy's a cheat, and he's with a new chick every Saturday anyway."

"No he isn't," Korra sighed in exasperation. "He barely leaves his house anymore after the disaster with Amon. He's not rich and famous anymore, Mako. The only girls he was ever with were only there for the money."

"Personally, I don't see how it matters," piped in Bolin. "Whether he is or not, Korra can take care of herself. And I don't think he's going to try anything with the Avatar anyway."

"_Thank_ you Bolin," Korra grinned, bumping her shoulder against his.

Mako grumbled but said nothing else, picking moodily at his plate. Asami looked amused at her boyfriend's behavior. Bolin went back to stuffing his face with everything in reach.

"Where's Tenzin and the Airbenders?" Korra asked, looking over at their empty spots.

"Tenzin's over at the council meeting," said Asami, plucking delicately at a bowl of porridge. "The kids are outside training. I think Pema and the baby are still trying to sleep."

"The kids got up this early without Tenzin?" Korra asked, amazed. Asami laughed, bright and chipper.

"Pabu made the mistake of going into Meelo's room. He woke the kid up with his bushy tail in Meelo's face. Then he was chased around the whole temple. Nobody could sleep through that racket, except you, I guess."

Korra snorted with laughter. "I can sleep through Naga's roar when I'm tired."

The Avatar was wearing her normal clothes, and had scrubbed all of the makeup off of her face before she collapsed on her bed the previous night. However, by the covert glances thrown her way when the boys thought she wasn't paying attention, they were remembering how great she had looked that night. Korra felt her cheeks warm up a little, and she stared fixedly at her own plate.

"So, what's the plan for today?" asked Asami when no one else made attempts at conversation.

"I was gonna meet up with that lovely lady from last night," Bolin said importantly.

Korra snickered. "Did you even get her name, Bo?"

Bolin flushed bright pink.

"Well I…ah, no."

"It was Sara," offered Asami. "And Bolin?"

"Hm?"

"She's engaged."

Korra burst out laughing at the priceless look of disbelief on her friend's face. Even Mako cracked the hint of a smile at that.

"Huh?!"

"Figures," she chuckled, swiping at tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Bad luck, Bo."

"How about we all do lunch?" Asami suggested. "This great new steak restaurant just opened up downtown. I could make some reservations for around twelve thirty."

Korra swallowed her mouthful of toast so that she could decline.

"I can't."

Three pairs of eyes fell on her.

"Why not? You love steak."

Korra rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but I kind of already have a lunch date."

"WITH WHO?!" the entire table thundered in unison.

After all; Korra dating? It was unheard of. The Avatar's laugh was loud and long. When she was able to breathe again, she realized that they were actually waiting for a response. She glanced down at her plate again, feeling her face grow warmer until she just knew that even with her dark skin, the others could see the darkened pigment. Bolin stared at the color in her cheeks; Mako blinked, as if trying to make sure he wasn't just imagining things. Asami, however, gave a knowing smile and winked at her discreetly.

"I think we'll find out later," she said. "When is he picking you up, Korra?"

"Uh, one?" she answered.

"That sounded like a question," laughed the black-haired beauty.

Korra joined in with her amusement. The two boys seemed just a little lost, as if not sure even of whether or not the world turned. Since when did Korra date? Since she showed up at a party looking like the Moon Goddess herself, apparently. Mako had a sneaking suspicion that he knew who Korra's lunch date was, and fury boiled, low and wicked, in his chest. Bolin was as charmingly clueless as ever, and just went back to eating his breakfast.

By the time they had all finished their food, it was half past ten.

"Do you guys want to do a little training?" Korra asked eagerly, leading the others outside.

"Don't you have a date to be getting ready for?" Mako grumbled grouchily.

Korra stuck her tongue out at him. She really didn't understand what his problem was. He had made his choice, and he had chosen Asami. He needed to grow up and stick to it, and keep his drama with her to himself.

"I've got plenty of time before he gets here. Now come on. We haven't sparred in _ages_."

"Fine," Mako consented.

"Asami, ready to watch your boyfriend get his butt handed to him?" teased the younger of the two brothers, grinning like a goof.

"Twenty yuons says he beats you, Bolin," laughed the woman.

"Deal!"

"Thirty says I beat both of you," Korra grinned.

"No deal!" Bolin laughed. She stuck her tongue out again.

"You boys ready?" she checked.

By way of answer, a jet of fire was shot her way. With an anticipatory grin, she caught it and sent it back at Mako, who dove straight through it without pause to send two more quick shots. One hit the ground at her feet, and the other would have cooked Bolin to a crisp if he hadn't raised a wall from the ground. When the fire ball dissipated, Bolin let his wall drop in favor of making the ground beneath Mako and Korra's feet rumble and quake.

Korra leapt into the air, pulling water from the wineskin she'd taken to carrying with her and sending it down at Bolin. It hit the dirt beneath him, and froze into a slick puddle of ice. The brother lost his concentration on the mini earthquake, scrambling to try and stay upright. The Avatar flicked her fingers, and a little pebble hit Bolin behind his left knee, unbalancing him just enough that his feet slid out from under him, and he fell flat on his back on the ice.

"That's twenty yuons, Bo!" Asami called.

"No! You were betting that _Mako_ beat me. That was _Korra_!" Bolin argued, scooting himself along until he was off the ice and could stand.

Asami's lower lip jutted out in a pout, but then she smiled and shrugged. They both chuckled, then turned to watch Mako and Korra as their match continued.

The two knew each other too well. They could predict the movements and the tricks of the other, anticipating attacks and either dodging or blocking them. Korra had the upper hand, because of her ability to use all four elements, but Mako held his own surprisingly well. She nearly got him with the ice trick, but he was quick and managed to melt it before it knocked him flat on his backside like it had his little brother. He refrained from using his lightning, which was too dangerous for one on one practice. It was too easy to make a mistake with it.

Korra finally managed to penetrate his defenses, though, when she lifted the ground beneath just one of his feet. He was only off balance for a second, but it was all she needed. A sharp jet of wind pushed that foot forward, while a stronger gale pushed the rest of his body back. The result was that he tumbled through the air like a flying lemur-bat for a moment, then somehow ended up face-down in the dirt. It was a similar trick to the one she had used on Tahno in their one-on-one in the arena, albeit that had been with water.

With a laugh, Korra went to his side and held out a hand to help him up. Mako rolled onto his side and reached up to take her hand. When his fingers closed over hers, he gave a sharp jerk, and brought the mighty Avatar tumbling to the ground, laughing. He whipped around, and pinned her to the ground, his legs on either side of hers, and his hands trapping her head. He was putting all his weight into keeping her where she was, too, their chests and hips pressed together.

"Looks like I win this round," he smirked.

Then he glanced down, cheeks flushing with pure mortification, and Korra raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't know you enjoyed sparring _that_ much," she commented, pushing at his chest for him to get up.

The growing bulge at the front of his pants was pressed against her thigh, and Korra felt seven kinds of embarrassed. She could only imagine how Mako felt as he rocked back and tried to hide the prominent tent in his pants from Asami.

A large stone hit Mako in the small of his back as he tried to stand, knocking him flat on his face once more. Korra wasn't being entirely spiteful; she was actually trying to help. To her knowledge, her friend was no masochist, and pain should be a turn-off. She hoped.

"_Don't_ pull another cheap trick like that," she warned, standing and brushing the dirt off of her clothes. Then she turned to Asami, hoping to distract her. "What's my time?"

"Twelve minutes. Wow, Korra, you know how to get it done." The woman shook her head.

"I say we all go visit my favorite hobo," said Bolin. "I haven't seen him around much since the whole Amon business."

The group laughed, but shrugged and agreed.

"As long as we get Korra back here by twelve. She'll need time to shower, because you guys already got all dirty, and it'll just get worse after visiting that guy," said Asami, making a face at the memory of the dank, smelly underground system beneath Republic City.

~…~

It was twelve forty-five, and Korra was just coming out of the bathroom after a long, hot shower. It had actually been kind of nice to see the hobo that had helped them out so much when they were on the run from the anti-bending Equalists. They had offered him a place at the Air Temple, but he was adamant in his refusals. The other people in the underground needed him far more than he needed plush surroundings.

"Koooorrrraaaa!" someone called from the front of the house.

"Here Ikki!" she answered loudly, pausing in towel-drying her hair.

Moments later, the excitable girl bounded into view, positively jumping off the walls in her excitement. Actually, she was literally bouncing off the walls, using gusts of air to keep her off of the ground as she jumped from one surface to the next. Ikki was giggling loudly.

"Your boyfriend's here!"

"Ikki, he isn't my boyfriend," Korra said. "This is our first d—"

"Have you kissed him yet? Huh? Huh? Have you? If you have, then he counts as your boyfriend!" She said all of this very fast.

"Hush, Ikki," Korra sighed. "Where are the others?"

"Asami and Bolin were talking to him in the front room. Mako was sulking outside. Why is Mako so mad? Does he still like you? I thought he liked Asami. Did they break up? I don't think they did; I saw them kissing this morning."

"Ikki!" Korra exclaimed. "Calm down! Tell him I'll be right out. I just need to find my hair spools; I think I left them in my room."

"Okay!"

As the girl sped away, Korra thought she heard Meelo's voice as well, and she looked up to the ceiling. _Spirits, please don't let them run him off._ She had thought the biggest problem would be her friends. She'd forgotten about the Airbender kids. She rushed to her room, throwing the towel on her bed and raking a brush through her hair. Her hair spools were on her nightstand, and she pulled her hair back as fast as she possibly could. Then she hopped out of her room, tugging her boots on as she went.

Before she entered the front room, she made sure she looked entirely presentable. She was confident when she walked in, but she stopped in her tracks when her gaze rested on the people in the room. It took a moment to digest what she was seeing.

Bolin and Asami were laughing like maniacs, clutching at each other with tears streaming down their faces. Tahno stood a little ways off from them, wearing a martyred expression but not complaining at all. And he had plenty to complain about. Ikki was latched onto his left leg, asking him questions in the rapid fire way she always did. Meelo was climbing on Tahno's head, his hands messing up the hair that the Waterbender loved so dearly. He was also asking many questions.

Korra felt it bubbling up in her throat, and tried to stifle it, but found that it was impossible. The sight was too amazingly funny, and it just got worse when one of Meelo's tiny little toddler hands got stuffed into Tahno's nose. Her laughter exploded out of her, coming in great peals. Tears gathered in her eyes and streaked down her face as she clutched at her stomach, laughing until her chest hurt.

The others looked around when they heard her laugh. Tahno gave a self-deprecating smile and tried to tug Meelo off of his head, but the toddler grabbed two tiny fistfuls of his raven hair and refused to let go.

"Meelo, Pabu is asleep in your room," Korra said between laughs.

And just like that, Meelo vanished. The group could hear him barreling down corridors to get to the boys' building.

"Why did no one else think of that?" Korra wondered.

"Because I wasn't going to sacrifice Pabu!" Bolin cried indignantly.

"Bo, relax, Pabu isn't really in Meelo's room. The fire-ferret actually is kind of smart. He wouldn't go in there again."

"Still got one," Tahno noted dryly, lifting his foot a couple of inches in the hopes that Ikki might take the hint and get off. She didn't.

"Ikki, I'll let you ride Naga when I get back, if you let go of Tahno."

Ikki thought about it, and shook her head.

"Nope. Not until he answers my questions."

"What are your questions?" Korra wondered. Pink dusted Tahno's cheeks.

"Does he really really like you? Are you guys gonna get married? Have you already kissed? How many kids do you want?"

Korra blinked.

"Ikki, is that really necessary?"

The girl nodded vigorously. Korra gave a long suffering sigh.

"Yes, don't know, and yes. And after hanging around you, I don't want _any_ kids."

"Aw, so you guys _have_ kissed?" said Ikki, before thinking about the rest of Korra's response. "Wait…Hey!"

"Hay is for poodle-ponies. Now, we answered your questions. Let go of his leg."

Pouting, Ikki did, and left the room, grumbling. Laughing, Korra caught Tahno's hand and started to lead him out.

"Where's councilman Tenzin?" he asked, resisting her.

"He's at City Hall," said Korra. "Why?"

He shrugged.

"Just thought I should…you know, meet him."

"Have fun you two!" Asami called as he allowed Korra to pull him outside.

"Be safe!" Bolin added.

Korra laughed and shook her head. She loved her friends. Those two, at least, were so easy-going and accepting. The real challenge was lounging on the stairs. Mako was her best friend; she loved him like her very own brother. He was strong and loyal and usually was a pretty good judge of character. But, he was also extremely protective, and not very quick to forgive. That was not going to earn him any brownie points today.

"Knew it was the Wolfbat," Mako growled, standing as the two attempted to walk past him. Korra took a deep, measured breath, and exhaled slowly.

"Mako, you can lecture me all you want, _later_."

"Korra, you can't seriously _want_ to go out with this creep?" Mako snapped in outrage.

"I can and I do," she growled. "You have no right to tell me who I can and can't date. You lost that ability when you picked Asami. No," she added when he opened his mouth. "I am not doing any of this to get back at you. I want to go on a date with Tahno. You chose Asami. You don't get any say in my love life, Mako."

Indignation colored Mako's cheeks blotchily, and his amber eyes flashed.

"This guy's dangerous, Korra!" he practically shouted. "He's only going to hurt you. That's just what he does. He'll be with some girl for maybe a week, then he tosses her away without a second thought in his damn head! He's just trying to use you to get some attention again, and dating the Avatar is the perfect way to get attention, isn't it?"

Korra scowled, but Tahno beat her to the response.

"Getting your bending away changes a lot of things, Mako," growled the Waterbender. "One thing is that it makes you appreciate who was really ever there for you. Who really liked you for you, and who only liked you for the props that came with your power. It feels like damn and wow when you lose your bending, and everything else falls away, because for your whole life, you made everything about your power. I'm well over wanting any and every girl I see. I don't care about any damn publicity stunts any more. You're just angry because I'm dating the girl that _you_ gave away." His voice was a soft hiss, like the sound of a weasel-snake prepared to strike.

He didn't move from his spot beside Korra, but his presence had grown tenfold, until it felt as though he towered over the other two. His expression was bland, but his eyes were dark. The tension crackling between the two men was thick enough to cut with a knife. If either of them had been the Avatar instead of Korra, she guessed they would have already entered the Avatar State. They were that furious.

Mako, apparently, didn't know what to say to Tahno. He had no retort, so he settled for glaring balefully at the Waterbender.

He was right, though. Tahno, for all his faults, was a changed man. Mako could see that much already. He carried himself differently, and when he talked, it was without that arrogant, superior tone that he used to use. And, when he looked at Korra, Mako could see genuine caring in those pale eyes. And that was what truly bothered Mako. Yes, he had chosen Asami, but he still cared about Korra. A lot. He had chosen Asami because he thought it would be simpler with her. Mako hadn't considered the dozens of other guys Korra could have, once she was sure where she stood in Mako's life. She was an amazing, beautiful woman, and only a fool would think no one else would notice.

Part of the consequences of Mako's decision was that he would have to sit by while Korra moved on. There wasn't anything he could do now. He had made his choice, and in respecting it, Korra allowed herself to branch out. It was his fault, this self-inflicted torture, but Mako's stomach boiled with white hot fury at the thought of seeing her with any other man.

However, in making his choice, Mako had made his own worst fears come true.

"I'll see you later, Mako," Korra said stiffly, and steered Tahno away, toward the docks.

"Well," Tahno commented once they were out of earshot. "That was fun."

Korra rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry about that, Tahno. Mako's my best friend, but sometimes he can be a little…"

"Controlling? Possessive? Jealous to the point where steam starts coming out of his ears?" Tahno suggested.

"You saw that too?" Korra laughed. "That happens when he gets really mad. Sometimes, Firebending makes it really easy to read a person's emotions."

Tahno smiled.

"What do you want for lunch, Uh-vatar?" he asked, linking their elbows as they walked right out over the water. It froze beneath them, making a path of ice all the way to the mainland. Korra shrugged.

"Narook's is always a good option," she suggested.

"That's where I first met you," Tahno added.

"You were so arrogant, it drove me nuts," Korra laughed.

"Short drive," muttered Tahno.

"Oh, shut up!" Korra stuck her tongue out. "You came right up to my and Bolin's table and offered me _private lessons_." She mimicked the low, seductive tone he had used when he made the offer.

Tahno gave her a wicked grin.

"By the way, you never did give me a proper answer. You just set your polar bear-dog on me."

"I thought that was a pretty clear response," she said, tone wry.

"Yeah, I guess it was. But, what say you to those lessons now?"

"A little one-on-one? Sure. I still need to get you back for all that cheating you did in the arena."

Tahno raised an eyebrow.

"You can try," he purred.

"So, did we agree on Narook's for lunch?"

"I think so."

"Then let's go. I'm starving."

~…~

An hour later, Korra had amazed Tahno with her ability to scarf down more food then should be humanly possible. He had been all set to pay, despite Korra's many objections, but Narook was either impressed, or he took pity on Tahno, because he told them it was on the house.

They had made meaningless small talk over their meal, cracking jokes every now and then, and just enjoying each other's company. More than a few strange looks had been cast their way, but they ignored the onlookers. It was nice, to just go out without the threat of Equalists looming over their heads, or the pressure of a Pro-bending tournament smothering them.

Tahno hadn't been back to Narook's since his bending had been taken away. After his initial meeting with the Avatar, he would go regularly in the hopes of running into her again, even if all he would have done was needle her. He'd forgotten how great the food was. Forgotten what it was like to be with someone for the fun of it, to share laughs and small stories with. He'd forgotten a lot of things, but it seemed that Korra was there to remind him of them one by one.

"Where to now?" Tahno asked as they left the restaurant arm in arm.

"I should probably head back," Korra said regretfully. "Before anyone decides I've been gone too long and they call Beifong."

"That might turn out to be interesting," Tahno conceded. "So, the Air Temple it is."

They walked in companionable silence down to the docks, but since they didn't feel much like bending their way across—it looked like a storm was brewing—they waited for an Air Acolyte ship to make its daily trip. The ship usually arrived around three, and it was two-thirty. They had half an hour, give or take. Tahno led Korra to a large, sturdy looking crate, and sat down beside her, sliding an arm around her shoulders and tucking her into his side.

"So, should I leave you with the ship, or do I get the pleasure of kissing you goodbye in front of Fire Boy?" Tahno teased.

Korra laughed.

"No, you should come with. I need to give your jacket back anyway."

Tahno smiled and turned so that his lips brushed her ear when he spoke.

"You can keep the jacket, Uh-vatar, for all I care. But I would be happy to accompany you to the island."

He leaned down and, turning her face with his hand, captured her mouth. The kiss was short and sweet, lasting just a few seconds, and yet it still left him feeling warm and breathless. Korra leaned into him, resting her cheek against his hard chest. He tightened his hold on her, and tucked her head beneath his chin.

They passed the minutes in comfortable silence, basking in the other's solid warmth. Tahno's mind wandered in that time. He thought back to the first girl he had ever been with. He had thought himself in love. But she had been a phony, only after his money and glory. Nobody liked him for him. For a long time he told himself it didn't matter. He had convinced himself that he didn't care when the girls he was with circled through his team. And there were many girls. It got to the point where he thought that, if all of those girls wanted him, any part of him, he may as well enjoy giving them what they wanted. They had all satisfied him for a short while, but he had only _wanted_ them for a short while.

Korra…Korra was different. It was more than just simple want, what he felt for her. It went beyond a desire for her body, or the status he could gain from her. Need. That was the only thing he could think of that came close. He didn't want her; he needed her. Needed her compassion, her unfaltering honesty. She was the embodiment of things that had been missing from his life for years. Things that held meaning. His life had lacked any semblance of meaning for a very long time, and he felt that, somehow, Korra could bring those things back.

While Tahno wrestled with his pathetic past, Korra was wrapped up in her own thoughts. Tahno made her feel important. Like she really meant a lot to somebody. Mako had, in his own way, tried to make her feel that, but something always managed to screw it up. She was always so self-conscious around Mako, worried about how she looked, what she said. It was more comfortable around Tahno. She found that she was more focused on their conversations, on the fact that he was simply there, than whether or not she was doing something wrong. She felt at ease around him.

"There's the ship," she said quietly, pointing.

Tahno's eyes followed the gesture, alighting on the relatively small Air Acolyte ship.

"We can help them load everything," she said, standing and stretching.

She held her little hand out, and Tahno took it, allowing her to pull him up.

"Well, then, let's get to it."


	3. Water Conducts Electricity

"Good timing," Korra commented.

The clouds above them had broken out into a full-on storm just as the ship pulled up to the docks on the island. Rain was pouring down from the black cloud cover, drenching the ground and the people scurrying to find shelter. A fork of lightning flashed across the black sky, followed closely by a clap of thunder that seemed to shake the ground and rend the very air. Korra automatically reached out and caught Tahno's wrist. He smiled, and weaved their fingers together, pulling her closer.

"Looks like I'm stuck here til the storm blows over," Tahno said, jerking his head to the roiling waters.

Korra ducked her head.

"Sorry."

"I'm not complaining, Uh-vatar," he smirked.

"There you are!"

The couple looked around. Tenzin was hurrying down the steps that led up to the temple. From the looks of him, he'd been very worried. His beard was going every which way, as though he had been pulling anxiously at it, and there was a deep crease between his eyebrows. He pulled up short when he realized that Korra wasn't alone on the docks.

"You. You're that Tahno boy, from the Wolbats." His tone implied that this was the greatest possible shame ever thought of.

But Tahno didn't get offended. He already knew how protective the councilman was of Korra, who was akin to his adopted daughter, and Tahno had well earned any of the man's hostility. Now, he was just determined to turn that around.

"Councilman Tenzin," Tahno said, bowing his head respectfully. "I want to apologize for my actions in the arena. I was a cheat, and I'm humiliated to say so. It was wrong, what my team did, and I hope that, with time, you might be able to see me differently."

Korra blinked and looked at him closer. His silver eyes were downcast, the lines in his face drawn as if terribly ashamed. Was this really Tahno? She had to wonder again if she had somehow found a Tahno doppelganger. This was so far off base from his usual behavior.

Tenzin, likewise, looked taken aback. He blinked at Tahno, unsure what to say for a brief moment. Then his expression softened.

"Well then, let's get inside. We'll all get sick standing around out here."

Tahno nodded, smiling, and followed them up the long flight of stairs. The three of them walked in comfortable, wet silence. The rain was really coming down now, drenching the walkways and making the steps slick. When at last they reached the top, Tahno froze in spite of himself. He had always been able to see the Air Temple, but only from a distance. He'd never gotten the chance before to see it up close before that morning, and it still took his breath away.

The temple was amazing. It made Tahno think of something akin to an ancient palace with its tall, graceful pagodas. The entire thing was like a rustic castle, with sprawling grounds and towering structures. A pen a little ways off held the Sky-bison. Past that, Tahno saw the place where the benders would train. There were Air Acolytes running to and fro around the temple that morning, but now everyone was seeking refuge inside.

"I guess you'll be staying the night here," said Tenzin. "I could have Meelo…No, no, Korra can show you where the boys sleep, I suppose."

"What about Bolin?"

"Bolin and Mako are both training around ba—"

"KORRA!"

The trio turned to look around, just in time to jump out of the way of an excited Earthbender. Well, Tenzin and Tahno got out of the way. But Bolin barreled straight into Korra, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"You're okay! We were worried when you didn't come back, and with the storm, and you're back!" Bolin blubbered.

"Bo, get offa me!" Korra spluttered, pushing at his chest.

"Oh, right. Sorry," said Bolin abashedly, standing up. He offered Korra a hand, but she was already getting up herself. Then he turned to look at Tahno. "Stayin' the night, huh?"

"Looks like it," Tahno answered.

"Well, I guess I can show you the guys' roo—"

"Korra!" Mako cried, coming into view. "We were worried when you…didn't…Oh, you're here?"

Tahno raised an eyebrow. Korra looked between the two of them, who, despite not sharing words, were projecting loud and clear what their thoughts were.

"Ahm…I think I'll just…uh…yeah."

With that, Korra turned and hurried inside to find Asami, who she knew wouldn't risk hanging around outside. The wind and rain would ruin her hair.

"Boys, I won't permit violence here," said Tenzin sternly. "Any problems you have with each other will be worked out by other means."

Tahno shrugged noncommittally. He wouldn't be the one to start something. However, he wouldn't be passive if—no, make that _when_—Mako decided he had had enough of the Waterbender. He would enjoy the chance to show Mako what he could _really _do.

Mako nodded.

"Of course, Tenzin."

With a last severe look at the boys, whose testosterone levels were reaching dangerous levels, Tenzin swept up the stairs into the warm, dry interior of the temple. Bolin looked between the two of them anxiously. Now, he was sometimes rather clueless, in his own endearing way, but even Bolin could tell when tensions were getting just a little too wired.

"Ooooh…kay. Let's…uhm…I'll show you around," said Bolin, putting a hand on Tahno's shoulder and steering him away.

Mako watched furiously as his brother showed that despicable man where the sleeping quarters for the guys were. Why? Why Tahno? Of _all_ people, why the ex-Wolfbat? He thought that Korra had hated the Waterbender.

"Mako!" called Asami from the building. "Come inside; you'll freeze out there!"

Korra stood at the woman's shoulder, hands in her pockets, staring fixedly at a point slightly above Mako's right shoulder. She was biting her lip. The Firebender ground out a sigh, and joined the girls in the cover of the entryway. He was sopping wet, the rain water that soaked him dripping steadily onto the polished wood floor beneath him. Korra fixed that, bending the water from his clothes and hair, and throwing it back outside.

"Thanks," he said. The coldness had gone from his tone. Korra was glad to hear his voice somewhat back to normal.

"No problem."

"Well, I think I'm actually going to go to b—"

"Hey, Korra," interrupted a smooth voice from one of the halls.

Tahno came into the room, silver eyes already locked on Korra. Asami smiled and backed away to give them a little bit of space, dragging Mako with her to a corner.

"Bolin showed you where you're sleeping?" she asked, smiling slightly when he automatically reached for her hand.

"Yeah. I just wanted to say goodnight. I had fun today." He sounded almost surprised.

"So did I," said Korra. "G'night, Tahno."

He slid his arms around her shoulders and gave her a firm hug, bending his head so that his lips were against her ear.

"Would you be mad if I kissed you in front of Fire Boy?" he whispered, low enough that only she could hear.

Korra laughed and, by way of answer, tugged his head around. Grinning with his easy victory, Tahno closed his lips over hers. She was still a little cool from being out in the rain, but it felt good, as his own body temperature seemed to spike. His heart rate picked up as he kissed her, letting his eyelids drift to slits so that they looked closed, but he could enjoy Mako's reaction.

Mako's face was brilliant scarlet in his rage, and steam issued thinly from his ears once more. His hand tightened on Asami's until she had to tug away, or risk getting her fragile digits crushed entirely. She pressed her lips into a hard line at the look of absolute wrath that was etched so deeply in every line of her boyfriend's face that it seemed impossible that he would ever smooth it out again.

Korra's and Tahno's lips moved hungrily over each other's in a deep, open-mouthed kiss. Fire began to pool, hot and fierce, low in the Avatar's belly, when Tahno's tongue slipped past her lips to twine intimately with her own. Likewise, Tahno felt searing arousal curl in his loins when Korra drew gently on his tongue.

A low sound escaped the man's throat, like a muted growl, and he pulled her flush against his hard chest, bending Korra backwards as he explored every recess of her mouth. She molded herself to him, delighting in the feel of his solidness right beneath her hands where they were splayed against his torso. One small, dark hand slid up his chest to his neck, tangling in his raven hair.

The fire inside both of them began to grow, blazing through every single coherent thought. Reason? Razed to ash. Logic? Lobbed out of the park.

Someone nearby cleared their throat. Korra pulled back slightly, looking around. Heat seared her face when she saw Asami's loaded expression, and she couldn't even look at Mako. She had completely forgotten that they were there.

But Tahno hadn't. He smirked at the blazing scowl on Mako's face. Once more, steam was issuing out of his ears, and his hands were clenched into fists so tight, his knuckles were white. Tahno raised an eyebrow at the Firebender, and leaned down to brush the whisper of a kiss over Korra's forehead. His silver eyes watched Mako, and he couldn't stop his triumphant smile when a potted plant near Mako burst into brilliant orange flame.

"Tahno, stop. You've made your point," Korra hissed, quietly enough that only he would hear her.

He smirked against her cheek, but let her go. His fingers curled around her hand, his normally cool skin warmed by the previous contact with her.

"I'll…I'm heading to bed. Goodnight everyone," said Asami. She turned and pecked Mako on the cheek, flinching slightly at his heightened temperature, and headed toward the girls' sleeping arrangements. Mako barely glanced at her; his harsh amber eyes were riveted on the male Waterbender in the room.

"I think I will too," he ground out.

The Firebender shoved past them, taking care to bump into Tahno's shoulder. Hard. Still, Tahno just smiled at Mako until he had gone from sight.

"Did you really have to do that?" Korra sighed.

"Do what? Kiss you?" Tahno replied with a leer.

"No, I didn't mind that part," she smiled. "I mean rubbing me in Mako's face. He's still my friend Tahno. Why do you have to get him all riled up?"

"Because it's fun," he answered easily.

She gave him a half-lidded look.

"Because it isn't actually hurting anyone?"

Her warning look deepened into a scowl.

"Because," he grumbled, pulling her closer. "It's better that he figure out, now, that he made his choice, than for him to hang on to something after he gave it away. The sooner he understands that by not choosing you, he left the way clear for someone else, the happier everyone else will be."

Korra sighed.

"I appreciate it. But please, stop."

"…Fine."

"Now, can you go to sleep without picking another fight?"

"Technically, I haven't picked any fights yet."

"_Yet_?"

"Fine, fine, I won't," he said quickly, recognizing the dangerous tone to her voice.

Korra smiled and hugged him around his waist, resting her head against his chest.

"But what if he starts something?"

"Be the bigger person."

"Already am."

Korra leaned away so that she could smack his chest.

"Perv!" she exclaimed, laughing.

Tahno smiled again, although it was more of a dirty leer. Then it softened, and he sighed.

"Good night, Korra," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I won't attack him. I'll be on my best behavior. I promise."

"Okay," she answered, giving him a quick peck on his cheek. "Good night, Tahno."

Then they turned and went down separate corridors toward their rooms.

~…~

Mako was lying in his bed with his arms folded beneath his head, wide awake despite the late hour. His golden gaze was locked on the ceiling. Bolin was already snoring loudly next door, but his loud, bellowing grunts were nearly drowned out by the thunder outside. The rain outside was still going strong as well, blasting the ground, the walls, the roof of the temple. Mako glanced at the window as a fork of lightning flashed across the sky, sending an eerie glow over the entire City for a split second. Then all was dark again.

He could feel the lightning. It was every bit as much a part of him as the fire was, and right then both of the elements were coursing through his furious body, trying to consume him. Trying to convince him to take action. He did his best to shove them down into a deep, dark hole where they couldn't bother him, but his success was…minimal. Mostly due to the fact that the things they seemed to be whispering to him sounded terribly appealing at the moment.

How dare that Waterbender wave Korra in front of him like she was a piece of meat? Mako knew that the ex-Wolfbat had kissed Korra just to get him going. The look on that smug bastard's face…It made Mako want to burn him to a crisp.

Above him, he sensed as two more forks of lightning streaked across the stormy gray sky. What he wouldn't give to…

Footsteps in the hallway alerted him to Tahno's arrival. He was on his feet in an instant, jerking his screen door open a little more harshly than was necessary. Tahno looked up just as he was about to enter his room for the night. That self-satisfied glint was still there in his cold eyes, the color like frozen mercury.

"Problem, Fire Boy?" he said coolly.

"Yeah, I have a problem," Mako growled, leaving him room and shutting the door behind him. "You. You think you can just waltz right in here and dangle Korra in front of me like a piece of meat? She isn't a bit of bait."

The only reason he refrained from shouting was because he didn't want to wake anybody.

Tahno gave a mocking laugh and quietly closed the door to his room, before advancing on Mako. The Firebender was praying that he would throw a punch, so that he could have an excuse to go at him. But when the other man reached out, it was just to pluck a strand of long, black hair from his shirt.

"I don't believe it's any of your business what Korra and myself do," he said, holding up Asami's hair. "You gave her up. You can't expect her to sit around and obsess over you, can you? When I decide to kiss Korra has nothing to do with you."

"Whatever!" Mako hissed. "You and I both know that the two of you are just trying to piss me off. You're only going out to prove a point."

Tahno snorted.

"Looky here. You hardly have any right to accuse _me_ of being arrogant. Newsflash; not everything revolves around you. She's moved on, and neither of us have to prove anything to you, Fire Boy."

Mako ground his teeth, fighting the urge to leap at the ex-Wolfbat.

"You're telling me you actually care about her?" he almost snarled. "That's rich, coming from the king of one-night-stands. What'll you do in two weeks, when you start getting attention again, this time for dating the Avatar? Going to see how much publicity you'll get for breaking her heart?"

Tahno took a threatening step forward before he could stop himself. Mako was not short, but when almost nose-to-nose with Tahno, he had to look up slightly to see him. And with the Waterbender's extremely apparent fury, he loomed over the younger man.

"I'm fairly sure," Tahno bit out. "That we've already discussed this. I am not seeing Korra for a shot at publicity. I found out the hard way that that is a life that I'm better without. And no, I have no intentions of hurting Korra for attention, either. I am with her, because I _want_ _to_ _be_. She is with me, because she _wants to be_. You removed yourself from this equation at the end of the war. It's no one's fault but your own, and you know it. You just want someone, anyone, else to blame."

Mako had no words. But he did have actions. Reason left him. A snarl ripped from his throat and he launched himself forward knocking the taller man to the floor. Tahno, though surprised, reacted quickly, rolling with the impact and kicking Mako off of him. He flew down the hall, into the doors leading outside, and out into the storm.

Tahno followed, not to continue the skirmish, but to legitimately check to see if Mako was alright. He had promised Korra that he wouldn't hurt her friend, and it was a promise he was determined to keep. He didn't want to upset her. However, Mako didn't need the concern. He leapt back up, onto his feet, and shot two consecutive balls of fire at Tahno, with complete disregard to the flammable object—the _building_—behind the Waterbender.

The Waterbender was at an advantage in the rain. The drops coming from the sky, the puddles in the stones around his knees, all rose up into two large water-whips. They shot out and met the fireballs head on. Both the fire and the water-whips exploded into steam upon collision.

"You made your choice, Mako!" Tahno shouted over the roaring wind. He readied another whip, just in case. "Move on!"

"This has nothing to do with Korra!" Mako bellowed, both of his hands bursting into flame. "This has to do with you being an arrogant Komodo-rhino!"

"And I'm a turtle-duck," Tahno muttered.

Two more shots of fire sped towards Tahno; he deflected them easily. Lightning flashed overhead. Thunder crashed.

On the girls' side, Korra was lying on her bed, wide awake, worry gnawing at her stomach like Naga gnawed at tree branches. Which was to say, fiercely and violently. It may not have been such a good idea for Tahno and Mako to room anywhere near each other. Thinking about it, she could almost imagine that she heard them shouting obscenities at each other.

She stiffened. Was that really her imagination? No, it couldn't be. She could hear them, actually hear them, and claps of thunder made what she heard choppy. Her imagination would have cancelled out the storm. Her feet hit the floor, and she was running. She flung open the door of her room, barreling down the hall and sprinting around corners for the boys' rooms.

Tearing through the corridor, she pulled first Mako's door wide, and finding his room empty, went to Tahno's room. His bed wasn't even mussed; he hadn't had the chance to lay down.

Korra headed outside, breathing labored, about to enter a full-scale panic attack.

Three things happened simultaneously, seemingly in slow motion. Tahno readied his whip to counter an assault. The doors from the boys' side of the Temple were flung open. And Mako attacked Tahno with everything he had. But his attack wasn't fire.

Water conducts electricity. An elementary principle, one most everyone knew. The Equalists had known this, and used it to their greatest advantage when fighting Waterbenders. There was a reason the bending of lightning was expressly forbidden in Pro-bending. It was too dangerous, too unpredictable, too easy to make a mistake. It was possibly the most deadly element it was possible to bend. Water conducts electricity.

Tahno may have had the advantage in a bending match in the rain, if he had been up against anybody but an accomplished Firebender. Not only was his water-whip ineffective to block the stream of bright blue electricity arcing from Mako's fingertips; it provided a straight path to the Waterbender. Tahno's entire body went rigid. His face contorted with agony. His water-whip splashed to the ground. Sparks of electricity jumped over Tahno's body.

Korra cried out, and barreled out into the rain. Tahno noticed her first, his silver eyes jumping to her rain-soaked figure. Mako didn't see her until she caught his offending hand, cutting off his attack and allowing Tahno to slump to the ground. She pointed her other hand to the sky, redirecting the attack. The lightning Mako summoned shot straight through her, and out her fingertips, into the black clouds. It was a skill first mastered by General Iroh, Firelord Zuko's uncle. Korra had learned it from Zuko's grandson, also named Iroh, when he and his fleet of the United Forces had arrived to aid them in the war against Amon.

Mako cut off his attack, face going from raging red to ghostly white. His skin was ashen as Korra fixed him with a truly chilling glare.

"Mako," she growled. "If you weren't my very best friend, I would take away your bending right now."

"Korra, I—"

"Don't you dare make up excuses," she snarled. "Get inside. Now. There is nothing I want to hear from you."

"Korra," Mako tried again.

"_Now_. It wasn't a suggestion."

After a long, horrified look at her, Mako turned and trudged slowly back to the door leading inside. He glanced back once, right before he went inside, to find her electric glare following him.

The door closed.

Korra's fury broke, and she hurried to Tahno's side. He was cringing on the stone, hands clutching his stomach.

"Tahno, hang on," she said, her once frozen tone changing to something warmer, more soothing. "Let me get you inside. I'll heal you."

If he heard her, he gave no indication. His eyes were half-open, his lips gaping in a soundless scream of pain. Korra lifted him as gently as she could, and carried him as fast as was possible to the door. Using a blast of air to open it, she staggered inside. The wind outside closed the door on its own, leaving Korra to carry Tahno clumsily to his room and set him on the bed.

Flinging the windows open, Korra bended water from outside in to assist her in healing him. She tore his shirt off, catching her breath. His skin was red, blistered, and bleeding. Wasting no time, the young woman covered the wound with the water. It began to glow as it did its job, sliding over the raw wound and healing it slowly and thoroughly.

"Sh…" Korra murmured when Tahno's breath began to gasp through his teeth. "It's okay. I know it hurts, but it'll be better soon, I promise."

After another moment of healing, his breathing began to ease.

"Where else does it hurt?" asked Korra, watching as the last bit of red vanished in place of new, pale skin. If there was any to begin with, the healing didn't bring his chest hair back, which was probably just as well. It would have ruined the view of his hard, sculpted torso.

Speaking still apparently beyond his capability, Tahno jerked his head to one side, then to the other. She translated that as _nowhere else_, and focused on making sure that the wound on his chest was as healed as it was going to be.

"Better?"

He twitched his head up, then down, then up again. _Yes_.

"In shock?" Asked because, as she noticed when she leaned back, his entire body was trembling.

Another choppy nod.

"I'll be right back," she promised him, sending the water back out the window.

His fingers caught weakly at her wrist, but he couldn't quite remember how to curl them around the fragile width. She pulled away gently, and brushed her fingers over his forehead.

"I promise. I need to get you some food and water. It'll help the shock pass faster." Maybe. Mostly it would make her feel better, and give her a chance to give Mako a good verbal flaying, with possibly a little physicality thrown in for good measure. Tahno allowed her to stand, but she could feel his pale gray eyes follow her out of his room.

Mako's room was her first stop. She pushed the door open without invitation, striding straight to where he sat on his bed, hauled back, and slapped him hard across the side of his face. She couldn't manage even the smallest bit of guilt at the scarlet handprint left behind on his cheek. He didn't make a sound. Did not lift a hand to stop her.

"Mako, you and your brother are my absolute best friends. You know, for a long time, I wanted us to be more. But _you_ were the one that said we should just stay friends. _You_ were the one that insisted you wanted Asami. That insisted that I move on. You have less than no right to get so angry when I did what you wanted. I moved on. You need to do the same. Attacking my boyfriend, because of hypocritical jealousy, was something you had no right to do."

"Korra, I'm—"

She held up a hand.

"I'm not finished. You could have killed him, Mako. You know just as well as I do how dangerous it is to bend lightning. What did you expect would happen afterwards, if you _had_ snuffed him out? Did you think that I would just start following you around like a baby moose-lion? Mako, even if it wasn't Tahno, even if it was someone I had never met or didn't care about, I wouldn't be okay with what you just did. It was wrong, and you know it. Don't you?"

Mako couldn't look Korra in the eyes. She was right. He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong and selfish and stupid. But somehow he felt that, if he could get rid of Tahno, everything _would_ go back to the way it was. Hardly a valid reason, and he knew he would have to pay the price for his idiocy.

"Korra, I'm sorry. I should never have done what I did. I was pissed and confused and extremely jealous. You're right; I have no right to get involved in your love life. Is there any way you can forgive me?"

He risked a glance at Korra's turquoise eyes. They were hard.

"You haven't earned forgiveness from me, Mako. You betrayed my trust tonight. It's going to take a lot more than just _sorry_ to bring you back into my good graces."

Mako nodded mutely, and looked away as Korra stood and left his room. She paused at his doorway.

"Mako?"

He looked back up, eagerly.

"Your fly is down."

And she left.


	4. Spirits Help Us

"Tenzin, I need to go to the North Pole."

The Air Master looked up, startled, from his newspaper. Despite the severity of the storm, which had blown itself out before morning, there was very little damage, as said in the paper.

"What? Why?"

"I need to visit the Spirit Oasis. Last night, Mako attacked Tahno. I healed him as best as I could, but the water I had could only do so much. I need the spirit water. Otherwise, he'll be paralyzed from the neck down."

"Hold on, what happened to who?" Tenzin said, rising swiftly to his feet.

"Mako attacked Tahno with lightning last night. He might've died, but I healed him enough for that to not be a possibility. Mako is still skulking in his room, not that I'm complaining," Korra added in a sour undertone.

"The boys got into a fight? I specifically told them that I would not tolerate it! I'll just bet that Tahno boy—"

"Tahno did nothing but defend himself," Korra interrupted hotly. "Mako was the aggressor, and the only one trying to hurt anybody."

Tenzin's blue eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Korra. She glared right back at him, hoping to Aang and all of her other past lives that Tenzin would just believe her and let her go. She bothered to tell him this, because she needed a Sky Bison. She couldn't get to the Northern Water Tribe quickly enough riding Naga. Plus, the Sky Bison would have an easier time carrying Tahno, since he wouldn't really be able to sit up or hold on. And he had to come, so that she could heal him as soon as possible.

Tenzin finally sighed and set his paper down.

"Alright, but you can't go alone."

"I'm not taking Mako," she said immediately.

"I think you should take both of the brothers," Tenzin disagreed. "And Asami. It'll give you the chance to sit down and really speak with them."

"No. I am _not_ staying in close quarters with Mako on the back of a Sky Bison. Not with Tahno."

"Korra, it's either that, or you don't go. I won't allow you to go on your own. I would send Lin with you, but she's busy with the police. Those are your options," said Tenzin sternly.

Korra looked at him with an expression of incredulity stamped across her face. She threw her hands into the air and turned to leave the room.

"Fine, but if he ends up in the ocean, don't say I didn't warn you."

~…~

"So how long exactly is this trip going to take?" asked Bolin as he watched Korra single handedly load up all of their supplies. Food, blankets, water, and sleeping bags were tucked carefully into bags that would attach to Oogi's saddle.

"It should only be a couple of days on the Sky Bison," said Korra, hefting the last bag up. Tahno was already in the large saddle, propped up against the side. His silver eyes followed Korra's every movement.

"So why are there so many bags?" Asami inquired, coming out. She had actually managed to pack a reasonable amount of things for herself.

"I'm planning for everything to go wrong. With my luck, it probably will." Said as she draped a blanket over Tahno, tucking the side beneath him like he was a baby.

"Sounds smart."

That was Mako. She barely threw him a cursory glance where he stood, slightly behind Asami, before leaping onto Oogi's head and grabbing the reins. Wordlessly the others climbed on, with Bolin and Asami both sitting between Mako and Tahno. Tahno closed his eyes; Mako looked pointedly off to his left. Nobody breathed a word to each other, save Asami's short scream when Oogi took off.

The morning air was cool against their skin, a little chilly as they climbed higher, and moved faster through the air. It wasn't long before both Bolin and Asami were wrapped up in their own blankets.

Something Korra had noticed, and she wasn't sure what was going on, was that Asami had not spoken one word to Mako since the incident. Although feeling entitled to a little enjoyment of that sort, Korra couldn't help but wonder if Asami had broken up with him. Spirits, she hoped not. Without Asami, Mako might just dive right off the deep end, even with his brother there to try and help him.

Plus, she knew her anger at him wouldn't last forever, and she did still want him to be happy. However, right then, she was okay with him getting the silent treatment all around. Even Bolin didn't seem to know whose side to take. Of course he wanted to back his brother, but he also knew that what his older brother had done was absolutely not okay, and should never be condoned.

Thus, the ride was ridden in tense silence for several hours. The first time anyone spoke, it was Bolin, wondering if Korra wanted a break from flying the Sky Bison.

"No, it's alright Bo," she answered, throwing a quick smile over her shoulder. "I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

And again they lapsed into silence.

Korra was consumed with worry for Tahno. She didn't know for sure whether or not the spirit water would heal him like he needed. She was just working on a hunch. What would they do, if nothing happened? If he was stuck, paralyzed, his entire life? Korra would feel terrible, and extremely guilty.

Tahno knew that Korra blamed herself for what had happened. He knew that she felt incredibly guilty that she had let Mako hurt him, but he knew it wasn't her fault. Honestly, he shouldn't have taunted the Firebender like he had. But who was to blame was hardly important anymore. Right now, what was at stake was far more imperative, at least to Tahno. He couldn't twitch a muscle on the rest of his body. He tried to move his fingers. They stayed as they were. He tried to cross his legs. They refused to budge. How could he live like this? He had thought it horrible to have his bending taken away; had thought it the worst possible injury ever done to him. To not be able to move his own body…it was like being under that Bloodbending hold all over again, but this time, it wouldn't go away with someone getting distracted.

He knew people lived like this every day, but he didn't want to be one of them. He couldn't stand the idea of not being able to move. Of not being in control of his own body. It brought back visions of his worst nightmares, where Amon held him captive, helpless, and stole away his bending.

Korra was trying to get him to the North Pole as fast as she could, to the Spirit Oasis where she could use the powerful water to heal him completely. He prayed to every one of her past lives that her plan would succeed. He prayed to Kyoshi; he prayed to Roku; prayed to every Avatar before Korra. Her plan had to work. It had to.

~…~

True to Korra's expectations, they were maybe half way between the North Pole and Republic City when Bolin spotted storm clouds ahead of them. The group landed at the first opportunity, not wanting to risk flying through a storm even with a Water- and Airbender. This was at Korra's insistence. If she had been alone, she would not have hesitated to fly head long into the gathering tempest, but she would never put her friends at risk when she did not have to.

"I'll look for water," Korra offered.

She could bend some out of the ground, or they could take from their supply, but it was best not to, if there was some nearby. Groundwater had a tendency to taste like dirt, and their supply was, of course, limited.

"I'll go with you."

Korra clenched her jaw, but said nothing as Mako fell into step beside her. They walked in strained silence away from the campsite, Korra's hands shoved in her pockets and Mako staring fixedly at the ground. Occasionally she would catch him looking at her when he thought her attention was elsewhere.

Her senses were on hyper alert, trying to sense any nearby water, listening for threatening sounds. And she was extremely on edge with Mako right beside her, their arms almost brushing. She didn't want him anywhere near her. Not after what he had done.

However, he was still her friend. She didn't want to lose any of them. Not even Mako. Like Tenzin had said, they would eventually have to sit down and talk to each other. Communicate.

"Korra," said Mako finally, when he could bear the silence no longer.

She glanced over at him, electric blue eyes shining in the half-light of the overcast moon. He swallowed convulsively, and slowed down until he was no longer moving.

"Mako?" she prompted, stopping in front of him.

His throat worked almost spastically, but no words made it past his lips. Korra watched him impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Mako, come on," she said, a little less harshly.

"Korra, I'm more sorry than any words can say. I have absolutely no idea what came over me, but I wish none of it had ever happened. I never meant to do something like that. You have every right to be angry with me. I deserve. Whatever I have to do to make it right, I'll do. I just don't want to lose you."

His voice cracked on the last word. Korra's face softened a little bit, and she put a slight, warm hand on Mako's shoulder. His eyes flicked down to the point of contact, then looked back into her gaze. No longer was her gaze quite glacial. It was still cool, but nothing like it had been.

"Mako, you'll always be my very best friend. But you _are_ going to have to give me a reason to forgive you, because yeah, I'm still mad at you."

"Whatever I have to do," he promised fervently.

~…~

Mako and Korra returned to the hastily erected campsite soon after their brief but comforting talk, with several gallons of fresh river water floating along behind the two of them. Bolin had set up the tent and moved Tahno inside it, and Asami was working—rather unsuccessfully—at lighting a fire. Korra glanced over and snapped her fingers. The logs Asami had collected flared with bright orange flame. Asami jumped back and looked around, relaxing enough to smile when she caught Korra's mischievous wink.

"You found water," noted Asami.

"Yep. Could you get the kettle from Oogi's b—"

"Bolin took care of that as soon as you left," she interrupted. "I think he put it in the tent."

"Yeah, right by the entrance," added Bolin, appearing out of nowhere as he so often did, carrying an armful of fruits and nuts.

"Dinner?" laughed Korra before she took the water into the tent.

A bundle of blankets was piled in the far corner, moving ever so slightly, like it was breathing. Korra bended the water into the basin, which was just to the left of the entrance flap inside the cloth construction. Then she turned, not toward the exit, but toward the moving pile of blankets.

At first, Korra thought that he was asleep, but when she knelt by Tahno's side, his pale eyes flashed open. She smiled softly and took his large hand in hers. His lips twitched up in the ghost of his own smile.

"Uh-vatar," he croaked. He could speak, to an extent, but only in small, chopped sentences. Korra suspected that it was just shock, and that his vocal skills would return full-force with time.

"Hey Tahno," she said quietly, brushing the hair off of his forehead with her free hand.

"Everything…okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine."

"Mako…not being…ass?"

Korra chuckled and shook her head. Tahno smiled a little.

"There…soon?"

"We'll be in the air again as soon as the storm blows over. It should only be a day from there until we get to the North Pole"

He closed his mercury eyes, his smile growing stronger.

"I'm gonna help Bo fix up some food. Do you want me to bring you some?"

He shook his head slowly.

"Goes in…must come out."

Korra laughed again.

"Yeah, okay. You've got a point. I'll be back after we've all eaten, alright?"

"Mmkay," said Tahno.

She squeezed his hand and kissed his forehead, then rose to her feet.

"Stay awake til I get back," she told him. Then she walked back outside, bringing a little water with her.

Bolin had found the second basin she had brought, and was just putting in some mushrooms and fruit. Korra put the water in along with the other food, in the hopes of making some kind of broth. She really didn't know how to cook.

"Thanks," said Bolin, finding a long stick to stir it all with.

Korra nodded, then found a spot near the fire where she wouldn't be in the way but could still enjoy the heat from the crackling flames. Giving a long stretch, she laid down on the ground with her arms folded beneath her head. The moon and stars were already obscured by clouds, but rain had yet to fall.

Mako and Asami were sitting a little ways away, talking quietly but animatedly. Asami used a lot of wild hand motions, and Mako continually ran his hand through his jet black hair. Asami looked furious at the Firebender, who in turn seemed extremely frustrated. Bolin kept throwing discreet glances their way, frowning.

"Mako, this obviously isn't working!" Asami hissed.

"Asami, come on. You're being ridiculous," said Mako angrily.

"Am I? You said you were just friends, and that you would get over her! But you nearly killed her boyfriend because you were _jealous_."

"I didn't—"

"No Mako. I'm not arguing with you. Until you figure out exactly what it is you want, we are through. I won't be the girl you go out with because you feel bad for her, or just because it's easier."

Before Mako could say another word, Asami rose to her feet and walked away, into the forest. Worried that she might get herself hurt, Korra sighed and stood, following the older woman into the trees. Mako's amber eyes, and Bolin's emerald ones, followed the girls.

"Asami?" Korra said hesitantly.

"Hi Korra," said the woman, turning to look at the Avatar over her shoulder.

"I'm…I—"

"Don't apologize," said Asami with a half smile. "It isn't your fault Mako can't make a decision. I don't blame you."

"Yeah, but still…" she said, frustrated. "I still feel like it's my fault."

"It isn't, Korra," said Asami, shaking her head. "Someday, he'll figure it out."

"Food!" Bolin shouted.

The girls tried for smiles, with reasonable success.

"Let's go eat. I'm starving."

"Yeah," agreed Korra. Together, the girls went back into the clearing.

The food was actually pretty good, albeit a little lacking in substance. The girls sat close by each other, and far from Mako. Bolin, after looking between the separate parties like a lost puppy, went to join his brother. Dinner was quiet, and rather tense, and Korra wolfed down the food as fast as she could so that she could escape the awkward atmosphere. She was just about to head to the tent when the first drop hit her forehead. With an exasperated sigh, she plopped back down beside Asami, making a barrier with air that the rain collided with, water droplets falling harmlessly on the ground instead of on her friends.

Mako just played with his food—fruit stew?—and Asami didn't do much better. She was used to great food, and while she may not be entirely prissy, she wasn't into anything that fell beneath her expectations. That wasn't the problem for Mako, who had spent most of his life on the street, eating whatever he managed to find for him and his brother. His problem had more to do with the ever-deepening pit in his stomach, the one that had nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with his chaotic emotions. Bolin had no such inhibitions, and was the second one done.

When at last everyone decided that they had eaten enough, they dumped the excess out in the woods, so as not to attract any critters during the night, and retired to the large tent. The fire had been put out for them the instant Korra let go of the barrier. Even with the comfortably sized interior, fitting the five of them into the tent was a bit crowded. Korra was the last one in, and in the process of trying to tiptoe to the empty space by Tahno, stepped on Mako's hand—by accident—kicked Bolin in the ribs, and nearly tripped over Asami's arm.

Nevertheless, she made it with minimal injury. Tahno's eyes were just starting to droop when she knelt beside him, crawling beneath his blankets and curling up against the Waterbender's side. Her small arms wrapped around his waist, and she rested her head on his chest like it was a pillow. Had he been in control of his own body, Tahno would have returned her embrace immediately, rolling onto his side so that he could hold her against his chest. As it were, he just had to make do with enjoying her warmth against his body. Finally he allowed his eyes to drift shut, and sleep carried the two of them away into peaceful oblivion.

~…~

"Look!" shouted Bolin, pointing out over the side of the Sky Bison. The others followed the gesture.

"Yep, we're there guys," said Korra.

Oogi began his descent into what resembled the town square in Republic City. They could hear the excited shouts from the people below, and when they touched down, the people of the Northern Water Tribe converged on the Sky Bison.

"It's the Avatar!" someone shouted, reaching up and tugging Korra down from Oogi's back. Bolin leapt from the Sky Bison and held out a hand to help Asami down. She took it with a smile, jumping gracefully to the ground. Mako sighed, but didn't come down. Instead he knelt like he was just going to sit back down.

"Hey, Mako, come on bro—" Bolin called, but he cut himself off when Mako straightened up. He held Tahno slung across his back, with the Waterbender's arms over his shoulders. The krew all blinked to make sure that they weren't hallucinating as Mako carried Tahno down to the ground.

"What?" he said defensively in response to the stares.

The others all shook their heads, then pushed through the crowd.

"Oogi, follow!" Korra called. The bison thumped along behind them as they headed for the entryway to the Spirit Oasis.

She knew about where it was from Tenzin's description of the city's layout from the few times he had been to the North Pole. It was near the palace-type building, behind a round, intricately decorated door. The Moon Spirit and the Ocean Spirit had both resided in there for centuries as koi fish. That was where Yue had returned the life that the Moon Spirit had given her, when its mortal form had been killed by a power hungry admiral over seventy years ago. As small amulet filled with water from the Oasis had been given to Katara when she was younger and still traveling with Aang; that water had saved Aang's life when Zuko's brother Azula had attacked him with lightning whilst he was in the Avatar State.

Lightning…

The water had to have the power to heal Tahno. If it had brought Aang back from the brink of death, it had to be able to return Tahno's mobility. It had to.

"There it is," pointed Korra.

The round door in the otherwise frozen cliff to the west of the palace was just ahead of them. The colorful paintings had lost some of their luster over the years of no protection from the harsh elements, but it still had a rustic charm. It also was too small for Oogi to fit.

"Would you guys mind waiting out here with Oogi?" asked Korra.

Asami and Bolin shrugged and nodded easily.

"Don't you need someone to carry Tahno in there?" Mako wondered, shifting said man higher on his back. Korra shook her head, and held out her arms.

"I can carry him."

Mako looked unsure about this, but passed Tahno over to the young Avatar. She staggered a little, but managed to sling him across her back as Mako had. Tahno didn't speak through this. He just watched, silently, as Mako opened the door, and Korra took him inside the Spirit Oasis.

It was much warmer within the Oasis. Behind them, the door closed, but darkness did not fall. Blueish light emanated from the walls and the water, casting an ethereal glow. A large cherry blossom tree stood on an island in the middle of the subterranean pool, its branches bursting with fragrant flowers.

In the pool, two koi fish swam in whimsical patterns, occasionally meeting and swimming in a circle around each other, before drifting off again. These were the manifestations of the two Spirits. The Moon and the Ocean.

Korra carried Tahno across the narrow strip of land connecting the doorway to the island with the tree. Gently, she set him down so that his back was propped against the wide trunk. His silver eyes followed her every movement as she walked to the edge of the water. Instead of bending it out, however, she sat in front of a recurring spot in the koi fish's patterns. She bowed her head and closed her eyes, trying to reach out and sense the presences of the Spirits.

She had first made contact with the Spirit World a year prior, when the previous Avatar, Aang, had finally managed to connect with her in order to return her bending. She had glimpsed all of her past lives at that moment. By returning other people's bending, she touched the spiritual side of her self. But contacting the spiritual realm was still rather difficult for her.

That is why she took such delight in almost instantly sensing the enormous Spirits dwelling within the small koi.

_What is it you seek here?_ asked a voice. It was soft, feminine, coming from the black koi with the white spot. Was it Yue?

_My friend is injured,_ Korra replied silently. _He needs the Spirit Water for him to heal completely. _

_How was he injured?_ asked the other voice. The second voice was lower, and distinctly male. It came from the white koi with the black spot.

_He was hurt defending me. It was my fault, and I have to make it right_.

_We respect your intentions, which seem pure_, said the voices in unison. _Very well. You may take from the water to heal your friend._

"Thank you," she murmured out loud. Then she stood, and bended a small amount of water from the pool.

She walked slowly to Tahno's side, eyes fixed on his. When she knelt by his side, she paused, as if waiting for permission from him. He nodded, and the Spirit Water entered his body.

It felt as though something very hot, then very cool, then very hot again was traveling through his blood, reaching from his stomach down to his toes, and then all the way to the tips of his fingers. Awareness of his body returned slowly with the sensation of swimming through strong currents of water.

Korra sat back, and Tahno tried to remember how to sit up. Slowly, he straightened his back and leaned forward.

"It worked!" Korra cried.

She leapt at him and knocked him to the ground with her enthusiastic hug. Tahno let out a relieved breath and returned her embrace, squeezing her tightly against his hard chest.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Yeah, it did."

Then he pulled back to press a dizzying kiss to her mouth. Korra felt the whole world just wash away beneath the feel of his cool lips against hers, and his large hands holding her waist tightly, fingertips just brushing the skin on her lower back, beneath her top.

_This is a sacred place, Avatar_, said the male voice sternly, making her jump.

Tahno raised an eyebrow at her.

"Uhm…let's go somewhere that _doesn't_ have Spirits watching us," Korra suggested, laughing. Tahno joined in her merriment, and helped her to her feet. A little awkwardly—he had already half forgotten how to walk himself.

"Sounds like a plan, Uh-vatar," he whispered against her ear.

Relief overwhelmed the both of them, and they left the Oasis hand in hand, overjoyed that Tahno would be alright. The others looked appropriately pleased to see Tahno back on his feet; even Mako looked as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

In time, Mako would come to earn Korra's forgiveness. It was the way they worked. Korra would demand that he earned it, and he would find some way to do so. But in the meantime, they shared a brief smile. Tahno squeezed Korra's hand tightly, and she squeezed back. Tahno couldn't bring himself to bear Mako any ill will. He already knew what the cards read. She was his Korra. His Avatar. And Spirits help anyone who did to her what Mako had done to him.


End file.
